These 12x36 Image Stabilization II binoculars feature a water-resistant rubber coating for nonslip holding. If you get caught in light rain, you don't have to worry about the optics fogging up or getting ruined. These binoculars deliver high magnification, long eye relief, and wide-field viewing. Controls for focusing and image stabilization are centrally located and are accessible by both hands.

Improvements to the objective lens assembly have resulted in the binoculars being approximately 26% lighter and 10% smaller than the previous 12x36 IS model they replace. And reductions in power consumption mean a massive 270% increase in battery life of up to four hours using two AA-size alkaline batteries.

Image Stabilization and More
With any high magnification binoculars, most users will experience frustrating image shake. Unless fixed to a tripod, image shake can render high magnification binoculars useless. Canon's IS technology is remarkably effective at eliminating this problem and is widely used by the television industry with Canon's professional broadcast quality video recording equipment. A special VAP (Vari-Angle Prism) corrective IS system sits between the objective lens group and the porro prism on each side of the binoculars. Within thousandths of a second of the binoculars being moved from their optical axis by vibrations, a detection system activates the IS mechanism. The VAP shape alters to refract or 'bend' the light path by precisely the right amount, thus fully compensating for the vibration. It is this essentially immediate response that effectively suppresses image shake. The binoculars' compact design is based on Canon's popular 10x30 IS model. Curved surfaces mean easy handling, while nature lovers will appreciate the low-reflectance exterior and low gloss front covers, which help to avoid disturbing birds and other

What do the numbers mean?
15x50? 8x25? The two numbers used to describe any pair of binoculars are their magnification — 8x, 12x, 15x and so on — and the diameter of their objective lenses — 25mm, 36mm, 50mm, and so on. The larger the first number is, the larger the object will appear to be in the objective lens. For instance, if you use a 10x lens and look at an object that is 100 yards away, it appears to be the same size as an object located just 10 yards away. The second number, the size of the objective lens, is important because the larger the objective lens, the more light it can admit for brighter, more detailed images, and the better suited they will be for lowlight situations.

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